Awake in a Brand New World
by BlackStarZX
Summary: Ash Ketchum wakes up in a world much difference to his own. With the power of the Creation Trio on his side, he must become one with the shadows - or be consumed by it - to save all he ever cared for; some even more deeply than he realizes. Rated T for Violence. Has just enough Shipping to make it interesting!
1. Awakening

**Hello, everyone. My name is Black Star, and I shall be your host for this story. I worked hard on the idea (with a few thoughts from my new favorite game), and hope that the idea is as entertaining to you as it was with me. **

**Before I begin, let me state the ages of the (main) characters:**

**Ash: 17**

**Brock: 20**

**Misty: 18 (Yes I believe that Misty is older than him.)**

**May: 16**

**Anabel: 16**

**Dawn: 16**

**Max: 14**

**Gary: 17**

**If you don't like them, whatever. Think of your own ages, this is just how I see them in this story. Also, you'll see why they seem much older through the plot. If I forgot any characters, I'll make sure to include them on the chapter they debut in.**

**I'm pretty new to this FanFic website. This is my first story to be published, and my second story I thought of. The other one is currently WIP. Meaning, I'm not gonna be working on it for awhile.**

**Please don't hate; I will answer any questions you need if you ask (as long as it doesn't pertain to the story plot…). I except constructive criticism, and will ignore hate-mail. If you don't like it, MAKE YOUR OWN.**

**Now on that happy note, welcome to the world of Awakened!**

**Disclaimer: Pokémon belongs to some dude that owns Pokémon. Not me.**

'Awakened'

A Pokémon Fan Fiction

By BlackStarZX

**Chapter One: Revived**

Until a few moments ago, there was no one alive named Ash Ketchum. Not for a while, at least.

Then he woke up.

"_What? Where am I?_" Ash opened his eyes. The first thing he noticed was how much his head hurt, and how stiff his body seemed. What also grabbed his attention was the pitch-blackness of the cramped space. The air here was stale…very, very stale, and as if only the slightest bit of fresh air could seep in. But the condition of his temporary room wasn't the only problem he faced…

"_I am Ash Ketchum. But who am I?"_

He couldn't remember half his life. It was like those fill-in-the-blank things. His name was Ash Ketchum, a _ year-old boy from _ _. He had _ hair and _ eyes. His best friend was a Pokémon named _. Wow. That hurt. He couldn't even remember his best friends' name. Although he had a general idea of his life, all the details were missing - including why he was here in the first place! It was like he could taste the memories, but whenever he tried to pinpoint the flavor, he couldn't remember. It was driving him insane!

But first things first. What the heck was this place?

Ash tried to move his arms, but to his surprise, they refused to obey him. Same with the rest of his body. The only thing he had control of was his eyelids. He closed his eyes, and focused his entire mind on moving his arms. Using all his willpower, he lifted his arms.

Only to be stopped by the sharp feeling of wood.

Instead of pain, Ash felt panic. Was he trapped?

Moving himself in multiple positions (Ash now had total control of his body), he discovered that he was trapped in some sort of wooden box, with just enough room for him to move himself a full 180 (If he tried really, really hard and didn't get himself stuck). But there appeared to be no opening. How did he get in or, more importantly, how does he get out?

Ash closed his eyes (not much difference, still pitch black) and concentrated. Somehow, air was coming inside. Otherwise, he would already be dead. Trapped in his wooden grave.

Seemingly out of nowhere, his head racked intensely; making him hold his head in his hands, grit his teeth, and scream inwardly. Slowly, after what seemed like forever, the pain went away. Quick and suddenly.

"_What the heck was that about? Did I say something wrong?!"_ he asked in his head. It was almost ironical how lose to the truth he was.

Going back to his previous idea, he started feeling around a bit more. Since air was coming through, there had to be a small opening somewhere. Maybe an indent, or an opened seal, or…

There. A little crack in the otherwise flawless wood, right above his face. This was where the steady, albeit small, stream of oxygen was coming through. Without it, Ash's organs would've stopped long ago. Speaking of which, how long had he been in here? It currently didn't feel very long…

Ash decided to push the thought away. He got into position, gathered his strength, and smashed the little crack in the wall.

Weakened by moisture, time, and pressure, the wood crumbled easily under Ash's hand. He let out a small "Woo!" as he didn't expect it to be so eas-. But what was this?

Dirt. Hard, firmly packed dirt. With only the slightest bit of light coming through, not nearly enough to light up the box.

I'm afraid that this was too much for our poor hero to take. First, he wakes up from who-knows how long, barely takes control of his own limbs, and now the light he so desperately wanted is behind some stupid dirt. His brain snapped; a snap that sounded suspiciously like the sound of sanity breaking. Ash started to scream, pounding the wood above him, cursing it for giving him a little hope; then taking it away just as quickly. Here he was trapped and stuck under a pile of dirt. It was like being buried alive!

As suddenly as it came last time, the headache came back relentlessly. It attacked and retreated quickly, leaving Ash breathing hard, thinking clear, and only one thought going through his head: What was going on?

"_Those headaches both came when I mentioned something about dead…" _Ash thought to himself – quickly realizing what he had said, and prepared for more pain…!

But it never came. Maybe it was a two-time thing?

"_First, the headache came from saying something about being dead" _Our hero pondered. _"Then, most recently, I was thinking about being buried alive! What is the connection?"_.

Dead…buried alive…

Death…..underground….putting someone…someone…

To rest.

Immediately, Ash stared at his hands to make sure he wasn't dead and decayed. "I'm buried in a coffin!" our hero exclaimed out loud. Then, a second realization hit him – something almost just as important.

He could see his hands. Previously, it had been impossible to see in the pitch-blackness of his grave. But now, the dirt was crumbling away (Into his face…), being dug up by someone above. At first, Ash was hopeful; maybe he could get out now!

That same hope died as a hand, something definitely not human, came in and grabbed Ash by the face. Ash would've screamed, but it's kind of hard when you're not conscious.

* * *

**There you have it. This will probably be my shortest chapter, unless I'm feeling lazy. Which could happen. And don't worry; if you're hungry for answers, you'll just have to stick around until the next chapter!**

**Hasta Luego!**


	2. Flashback Time!

**Hey guys. Star here. This is what's coming up next:**

**This chapter will include some answers to what's happened while Ash has been buried, why he was buried, who is still around, and where the heck everyone is. Also includes a major point in the plot, how the rest of his story can actually go on. What happens now affects everything else, so let's get to it! **

**I have one last thing to say; I won't be updating very quickly, because I play a school sport, and that pretty much takes up the rest of my time. I have been writing this story at night, and I REALLY need my sleep! Finally, I would like to say that Tobias never owned a Latios or Darkrai. The thought of someone capturing a legendary…ugh. Well, that's it. Thanks for understanding.**

**Disclaimer: I'm pretty sure I don't own Pokémon.**

* * *

**Chapter Two: Flashback Time!**

_An hour before Ash's Awakening_

'Sire, I don't know if this is such a great idea. Maybe a little bit longer will do, but-'

'No!' exclaimed Giratina. He was frustrated. Here he was, in his own realm, being questioned of his actions. Sure, they weren't flawless. But when the Reverse World was all screwed up, you knew that the Human World wasn't much better. It was time to take action. 'My realm is crumbling, becoming more unstable by the day. It is time to release our trump card. We knew this day would come, and it looks like it was even worse than we imagined.'

Two legendaries were in a tower. They were very high, in a neat, stylish room. Giratina himself could easily fit in the large room. Used by the overseer in the Human World, it seemed the perfect place for a portal. After all, anything that was created on the Human World was made in the Reverse World. Unfortunately, everything seemed out of place. That's what the Reverse World is like…but for someone who never visited, it was quite confusing.

Darkrai hesitated. He normally would never question the Renegade Pokémon. After all, Giratina was one of the Creation Trio. Only Arceus had control of him – but that option was out of the question. Dialga and Palkia, maybe, if they worked together. However, Giratina and he had only wanted to use their trump card if the situation was desperate. After the fall of order, no one could stop Giovanni. To preserve their kind, most of the legendary Pokémon had fled to the Reverse World. Except poor Arceus…

Shaking himself out of his memories, Darkrai went back to the question at hand. Giovanni thought he was invincible; no one alive could defeat him now. Everyone who had the potential lost their hope once Ash Ketchum was proclaimed dead. Maybe, with Ash back, they could begin to fight back…

It was too soon. In Darkrai's mind, it would have to wait ten, fifteen years before they could awaken him. Only then would Giovanni be weak, weak from his overconfidence.

Giratina wasn't going to have this. Yes, it might be too soon. But his realm…His realm was crumbling from the greed and poverty that went on in the Human World. If one world died, so did the other. Giratina knew this better than anybody.

'I told you, now's the time! If we keep on waiting, we shall be too late.'

'Why don't we ask the others? Surely they could give us some insight on-'

'NEVER! When have the others ever agreed with our plans? Only Dialga has helped us, and that was on a favor. I was able to gain a little of their powers through their respective stones, but that is all we can expect.'

Finally, Darkrai gave in. It was no good to argue with a lord. They _always_ had to have it their way. He didn't like it, but he would do it.

'Alright…'Darkrai sighed, 'Where is he slumbering? It's been awhile, I've forgotten.'

Giratina nodded, finally able to make the Pitch-Black Pokémon understand. 'He is sleeping near his home of Pallet Town. His grave won't be hard to find; even in rest, Ash Ketchum knows where the hearth is.'

* * *

Spotlights. Barking. The sound of screams in the streets. Pallet Town was no longer a pleasant place. Ever since Team Rocket had claimed it as a new HQ, the small country town had become a filthy factory city. Giovanni had figured that all the space would make a perfect place for more factories – and as a message to others. No one could escape Team Rockets grasp, not even a small country town. Soon, Hoenn, Johto, and Sinnoh were all manufacturing Dark Balls. Many of the civilians lived in fear of the ruthless city guard, who patrolled daily with their Dark Ball-powered Pokémon. Even with the factories being built, the homes were allowed to stay. Why, nobody knew. An act of kindness in an otherwise hostile world, perhaps? The people sure weren't feeling the kindness, though. In this world, Pokémon were not friends. Only as guards, a security system for your household. Rocket-trained Pokémon were taught to smell, hunt, and attack others without mercy. To make sure no one entered – or left, for that matter – a tall, electrical fence surrounded the borders of Pallet. In the center of the city was a tall watchtower; in the top, a luxury room for the overseer.

It was on top of the tower the portal originated. It was quite ironic, really. A pathway out of town, right above the overseer's nose. Then again, pretty much no one could enter. With the Human World now in chaos, Giratina has prevented all but a chosen few to possess the ability to come and go as they please. Darkrai was one of them.

Slipping out of the portal, Darkrai easily made his way to the Ketchum house. At night, travel was especially easy; no one could see him now. Being the Pokémon with shadow-like abilities had its advantages. Right outside the house, Darkrai couldn't help but peer inside the room. He saw several guards searching the house, but no Delia in sight. That was good; maybe she had found a way to escape? Darkrai was a normally heartless Pokémon, but the thought of sweet, caring Ms. Ketchum being brutally tortured was enough to make anyone despair.

Shaking himself out of his reveries, Darkrai shook out himself back on track. He had to complete his mission. Giratina trusted him; as much as they had their differences, Darkrai knew his lord meant well. The two legendary Pokémon were outcasts; both being of strange origin. This had led to a sort of father/son bonding, Giratina being the father. Darkrai cared deeply for his lord, and vice versa.

Drifting in the shadows, Darkrai finally find a small, yet elegant, headstone. Written on it were a few words…

_Ash Ketchum was not just a boy._

_Ash Ketchum was a friend, never hesitating to give one a hand._

_Ash Ketchum was a guardian, sacrificing his own well-being for the good of others._

_Ash Ketchum was a hero, always putting others before him – which ultimately led to his demise._

_We shall never forget you, Ash._

Someone else might've been moved by these words. Darkrai, however, was not someone else.

Taking a deep breath, Darkrai knelt (or is it floated?) down, and started to scan the ground beneath, using a slight Hypnosis to see through. Sure enough, there was a wooden coffin down there. But…was it slightly moving?

Taking a deeper look, Darkrai saw Ash Ketchum holding his head, obviously in pain; and obviously awake. Darkrai was indeed surprised. Why was he awake?! Did Darkrai's presence wake him up? Did he wake up on his own? It was indeed strange…But now was not the time to ponder.

Charging up a shadow claw, Darkrai started digging into the earth, taking care to do it quietly as to not alert the guards. He was _**not**_ in the mood for some unpleasant company right now. Finally, after clawing away the dirt bit-by-bit, he hit wood. Darkrai narrowed his eyes, knowing that with Ash Ketchum awake, the boy would notice if he was abducted right from the grave. He had planned to just open the coffin, and take Ash's unconscious body back to the Reverse World. But no; nothing ever went according to plan.

Charging up a Dark Void in his hand, Darkrai suddenly smashed right through the wood – praying to Arceus that no one heard the sharp _CRUUUNCH_ of wood being torn apart. Grabbing the poor boy, the Dark Void instantly knocked him out. There was one problem taken care of…Now for the next.

Ripping up the rest of the wood (and trying very hard to do it quietly), Darkrai finally ripped up enough wood to drag Ash out from his grave. He was writhing in his sleep – no doubt from the nightmares caused by Dark Void. He pulled Ash over his shoulder, making sure that he wouldn't fall off – Darkrai had no idea if you could get separated in shadow travel, and did he want to find out.

Making sure to cover up the grave again, Darkrai set off back towards the portal. He made sure to hurry; the sun was rising, and a shadow with no owner was not something people took lightly.

_Back in the Reverse World_

* * *

'I see you have succeeded,' commented Giratina.

'Yes. However, the boy was awake when I found him. Do you find that unusual at all?'

'In fact, I don't. When I convinced Dialga to preserve Ash in time, I made sure that when another legendary came near him, he would awake.'

'Why? You also neglected to inform me of this information. Did you do that on purpose?' questioned the confused Pitch-Black Pokémon.

'I…forgot…' stuttered Giratina. How could he have been so forgetful? 'I made it that way so we wouldn't have to waken him ourselves; also, so he could get enough time to remember all that's happened.'

"Well, you're wrong." a new voice answered.

Both Giratina and Darkrai looked back to see Ash Ketchum staring at them from the bed, confusion and alertness in his eyes. He had already guessed what world he was in; but what was this place? And why were two legendaries talking telepathically over him?

'Err…what do you mean by that?' Darkrai felt some anger welling up inside. If all of this had been for nothing…

'Now, now Darkrai.' Giratina could sense the anger rising up. He didn't need a peeved-off legendary right now. 'This boy has just woken up. Surely-'

"Nope." Ash answered with confidence. "I have most of my memories…but the details are gone. I've forgotten who my friends were, what Pokémon I own, and why the heck I was in a coffin!"

This was not a problem that the duo was expecting. They had expected Ash to have full memory – not bits and pieces that were still lost. However, what choice did they have?

'Ash…' Giratina sighed. This might take a while.

'Three years ago, Giovanni found a remnant of a Dark Ball. Remember that time you helped Celebi? Well the Dark Balls were completely destroyed; or so we thought. The master of Team Rocket himself found the shattered form of the ball. Although it was not completely able to capture a Pokémon, he could sense the power in it. Taking the Ball back to his lab, the scientists there were able to revive the Ball, making it able to catch once more. Giovanni tested this on his Persian, and sure enough – the Persian became evil, much more powerful than before. Pleased with his work, Giovanni secretly created a factory to make even more Dark Balls! However, they were acting very discreetly; this was happening while you were facing off Tobias.'

Ash shivered as he heard that name. He knew it from somewhere, but he couldn't place it! Amnesia was incredibly inconvenient at times.

Giratina continued, 'We, meaning Darkrai and I, decided that the Human World would be doomed to destruction if this continued. So we waited for the perfect chance to strike – and before we knew it, the entire facility of Team Rocket was gone. No factories, no Team Rocket – nothing! You were one of the first victims of their attacks. On a boat headed towards Kanto, your female companion Dawn, best friend Brock, and yourself were-'

He stopped suddenly. Ash had cried out in pain and fainted.

* * *

_Flashback_

_Ash Ketchum, Dawn(__**A/N: I'm deciding not to give anyone else a last name, as it's way too confusing and I'm afraid of screwing up.)**__, and Brock were standing on the deck, overlooking the ocean. It was a great day, with the warm weather and shining ocean. It seemed that all the passengers had decided to go up on the deck today. However, the three friends were thinking about each other's plans. _

_Dawn had decided to take a break from competing, and came to see the world a bit more; and to maybe meet some new Pokémon along the way._

_Brock was headed home to become a Pokémon Doctor, surprising his friends with his recent decision. But, like the true friends they were, they encouraged Brock to do the best he can._

_Ash was headed home to decide his next move; he knew not where to go, and just wanted to see home. After a while, you started to get slightly homesick. _

"_So, Dawn, where are you heading first?" asked Brock._

"_Oh, I dunno. Maybe go over to Mt. Moon? I heard it's the exclusive home of the Pokémon Clefairy." Dawn's eyes had hearts in them by now. "I heard that those Pokémon are so adorable! What I wouldn't give to catch one!"_

_Ash and Brock shared a smile as Dawn went on about how adorable Clefairy could be. They had gotten use to ranting's about how cute a Pokémon could be._

_Pikachu suddenly perked up an ear. "Pika? Pika-chu!"Pikachu started to run towards the stairs._

"_Hey, Pikachu! Wait up!" yelled Ash. This was strange; Pikachu had been acting just fine a moment ago. He started to run over to catch up to Pikachu._

_Hi friends felt it first before he did._

"_ASH, WAIT!"_

_**KABOOOOOOOOOM! **__The deck exploded. Lots of people went flying, and panic started to erupt. This was supposed to be a nice day! How did it come down to an explosion? _

_Once the smoke and debris was cleared, everyone could easily see the gaping hole in the deck. All of the passengers had been evacuated to the top deck, yelling for their loved ones. Although the ship was not sinking, it stopped moving. The engine had been completely destroyed._

"_Passengers, please stay calm!" the Captain yelled into his megaphone. Slowly but surely, people stopped so the Captain could be heard. "There have been no deaths reported, although a few minor injuries. We were lucky that no one was severely injured."_

_However, Brock and Dawn were worried. Ash was nowhere to be seen, and neither was Pikachu._

"_Brock, where could Ash be? Did he fall?" Dawn was now very worried. _

"_Let's take the stairs down. That's where Ash was headed before the explosion. He'll be ok, I know he'll be. He's been through worse." Brock conceded._

_Traveling down the stairs, they went down and down until they were in the engine room. The engine looked fried – no doubt from the explosion – and they could see…_

"_Ash!" Brock yelled at him. Ash was currently standing, facing someone in front of him. Next to his feet was Pikachu, in battle position, electricity sparking through his fur._

"_Guys, don't move!" Ash yelled over his shoulder._

_The two stopped. What was happening? Why was Pikachu looking so angry?_

_They were answered when they saw Giovanni, with his Persian right next to him. In his hands, he held what looked like a remote. Behind Giovanni were his goons taking apart the engine. What they were after, no one knew._

"_Oh, so now you're worried, eh Ketchum?" Giovanni's rough voice called out to him. Persian growled, making threatening glares at Pikachu. "Stand back boy, if you know what's good for you. This isn't about you."_

"_Oh yeah?! What are you doing here, attacking a boat with so many innocents? Do you have no soul? No feelings?"_

"_We did not just come here for this prototype engine. We also came here on a trip for revenge." Giovanni narrowed his eyes. "We also came for you."_

_That's when the Team Rocket leader pressed the button, and all chaos broke out._

_**-MEANWHILE-**_

"_We do not know the cause of the explosion, and the crew is currently working extensively for the reason." The Captain continued. Just then, a sailor came up to the Captain._

"_Sir, I have a question to ask…"_

_The Captain was thoroughly peeved. Now was not the time to be asking random questions! This was a state of emergency! But he nodded to the sailor anyway, willing to hear him out._

"_Everyone is up here looking for the cause of the explosion. What if this was a plot by Team Aqua or something? What about the rest of the boat?_

_The Captain just laughed at the idea. Surely no one would bomb a cruise ship like this one. There were no celebrities on board. He could understand if they had any valuables – but it wasn't worth it. Go rob a bank, not a boat! But he had to give it to the sailor; he needed the bridge to be guarded._

_This was before he realized that the boat __**was**__ unguarded. And there was one thing this ship had that others didn't, due to its rather new design._

_Call it a sixth sense. Call it a gut feeling. But when a captain feels something's out of place, he knows it's true._

"_**EVERYONE HIT THE DECK!**__"_

_The ship suddenly shook, half the bottom going out. They needed to leave, __**now**__._

_**-BACK DOWN BELOW—**_

_Half the floor gave way, letting water rush in. Dawn and Brock headed towards the exit, calling out Ash's name. A few grunts started to go after them, but Pikachu shocked them, making them immobile._

"_Pikachu! Go with them; make sure they escape. I'll hold them back" Ash growled. Taking his belt, he threw it at Brock, who caught them with a surprise look on his face._

"_Ash, you know you won't survive. The water is coming in too fast. Come with us!" Brock exclaimed desperately. He knew that if Ash was getting rid of his belt, Ash was aware that he wouldn't be coming out of this alive._

"_No. They came for me, and I won't let them hurt anyone else. I'll give them what they want!" Pikachu was shocked as Ash took Pikachu in his arms, and threw Pikachu at Dawn._

"_But…but Ash!" Dawn yelled, catching a confused Pikachu. This was __**not**__ turning into a pleasant afternoon!_

_Ash grinned. "No need to worry, Dawn! I'll see you later!" Turning around, Ash rushed the grunts._

_Dawn closed her eyes, and ran out of the room, with Brock close behind. Neither of them wanted to look back._

_It seemed that time seemed to slow down. Ash went down after multiple kicks and punches; but not before injuring a few others. Then, as he lay on the ground with multiple cuts and scrapes, Giovanni hovered over him. His vision was blurry, and he could barely hear the Team Rocket boss speak._

"_With you out of the way, there will be no opposition. Good bye, Ash Ketchum."_

_With that, Giovanni took a swift kick into Ash's face, promptly knocking him out._

* * *

**Well guys, hope you liked the first two chapters! This is my first FanFic posted; I'm pretty nervous. I would appreciate some constructive criticism. I'm normally pretty shy about publishing/showing my work, so this took a lot of effort.**

**On a separate note, I'm currently working on my second FanFic, known as the **_**'Hoenn Frontier'**_**. When it's done, make sure to check it out! It'll be less fictional than this one, I assure you.**

**One last thing. If you find me a little hard to follow, please tell me! I know I have that problem, but it's hard to identify when it happens. **

**That's it! Cya guys until the next chapter!**


	3. Remembrance

**Hello again guys! Black Star is back with another chapter. But first, I would like to say a few things before we begin.**

**I forgot the mention earlier the way speaking is shown in this story. So here you go:**

'Telepathy'

"Speaking"

_Flashbacks/Memories_

**And that's it. Hopefully it makes the story less confusing. A problem for me when writing is getting the audience to follow the same train-of-thought I am on. Without it, you might get a little lost.**

**A little shout-out to Dragon Courage for making the first review, and making my day. I really appreciate a little praise here-and-there (almost as much as constructive criticism!), and it really boosts my confidence to publish more chapters. To answer your question, Ash won't be rejoining his comrades for a while…for now, that is. I'm still thinking of giving him a new partner. **

**Warning: This chapter contains lots of explanations. Although very boring, it will explain a few more things to you.** **Now on to the story!**

**Disclaimer: What is this 'Pokémon' you speak of?**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Remembrance**

For the second time in just a little bit short than three hours, Ash woke up. And finding two scowling Pokémon looking down on him, which did not help his day either.

'Humph. About time you woke up' grumbled a rather annoyed Darkrai.

'Silence, Darkrai. The boy had just had a memory surface. Let him think it over for a bit, then we shall return,' Giratina stated, as he started to turn around.

"No, wait…don't leave yet," Ash pleaded weakly. However, Giratina heard him, and decided to hear the boy out. "I don't know why I have these headaches…I had a few back when I originally woke up. Do you know why these things happen?"

Unsurprisingly, it was Darkrai who nodded. Being the expert on nightmares let him understand how memory loss worked. 'You see Ash, when a sentient being develops amnesia, the brain is stretched. Whenever the said being recovers the memory, the brain is stretched even more. Your brain is currently working to recover lost memories; which can be extremely painful. Over time, however, these headaches will go away once you recover all your memories,' He shared a scared glance with Giratina. 'That is, _**if**_ you recover all your memories. There is no guarantee.'

Ash groaned. Of course, he had many questions to ask, most of them applying to the flashback he just witnessed. However, needed those memories badly, if he was to arrive back in society again. "Speaking of which, when am I going back to the Human World? I need to tell Dawn and Brock that I'm ok…" So far, those were the only names he remembered; along with Pikachu, Giovanni, and Team Rocket. He had a feeling these things were important.

'Ah…Ash…you might want to look for yourself…' Giratina said. The Pokémon was aware that Ketchum was going to take it hard; he didn't want to be the one to tell him. Guiding Ash towards a ladder, he instructed the trainer to keep going until the hit the ceiling – then keep going.

"What? Why?" asked the intrigued hero.

'We set a portal there for easy access into the Reverse World. Here, I'll go first,' explained Darkrai. The Pitch-Black Pokémon proceeded to float up the ladder and then, without hesitating, went right through the roof. Question solved, Ash followed him, going right through the ripples of space…

* * *

_In the Human World_

Ash was not expecting it. High winds, long fall, and the darkness overtook him. About to fall off, our hero stumbled a bit, only to be grabbed by Darkrai.

The Pokémon looked almost amused, 'Try not to be so clumsy, as we already saved you from death once.' Ash smiled sheepishly.

Gaining his balance, Ash started to look around. There was so much smog! So many factories! Way too much technology than he was used to. But the landscape looked eerily familiar. Where was this place? Racking his brain, Ash sought deep into his mind, trying to think what made this landscape so much like that of…of…

He was standing in the middle of Pallet Town; his hometown.

He felt it before it hit. A racking pain that rooted itself in his brain. A few pictures went past his vision in fast-forward…

_A small, neat little house, with a strange purplish-pink Pokémon holding a broom. A little garden with some tomatoes. A cheerful, smiling woman looking down on him. In the background, he saw a large house with a windmill. He could see the entire town from atop the hill…_

Jarred back into reality, Ash realized that he was in a cold sweat, the images blinking between one another. Darkrai decided to speak up, 'Another vision, Ash? I guess this must be hard for you…'

Indeed it was hard. Lying before him was the once-clean fields of Pallet Town, now filled with disgusting factories. "What happened to my town…my house…my…my…," Ash stuttered. The tears finally started rolling down. This was his home! The place where he was raised! He couldn't remember all his childhood memories, but that made them seem so much sweeter. He started to remember a name…His mom…Delia…

Acting in a complete fit of madness, he grabbed Darkrai by the collar, (?) and shook him hard. "WHAT HAPPENED WHILE I-" his voice abruptly cut off. If Darkrai had the ability to kill with looks, Ash would be dead.

'_SILENCE YOU IDIOT!' _Darkrai screamed in his mind. Ash let go, and was abruptly shocked by the amount of sound coming to his brain. He winced at the noise.

Once the duo recovered from that little…incident, Darkrai started fuming towards Ash, 'Do you _want_ the overseer to know we're here?! Because I sure do not! He is in charge of this entire facility. The overseer is probably one of the ten strongest people in this world right now. With his skill, you would be crushed. Now, do you want to know what happened or not?' Ash nodded in silence, knowing full well that he was in the wrong. 'Well then, here goes…'

Darkrai proceeded to explain how this once-peaceful country town was turned into a smog-filled city of factories. Ash just nodded at times, indicating that he was still alive and listening.

'Now, any more questions you want to know that _don't_ involve Pallet, we shall discuss with Giratina. Come. Let us go inside,' without another word, Darkrai jumped back into the World portal. Taking one last glance at his beloved hometown, Ash followed him.

* * *

_Back in the Reverse World_

Ash had gone completely mute. Seeing his hometown in complete disarray had shattered him to the core. He just couldn't believe what was happening. Team Rocket was ruling, he had no idea where his friends were, and he had been dead not even three hours ago. He needed answers. **NOW**.

"Giratina!" Ash suddenly exclaimed. Both of the Pokémon were startled, had been discussing other matters a few seconds ago. They weren't expecting him to just suddenly speak. "Please, tell me everything, from how I was buried to why I'm here now. I'm so confused; I just need to know a little more. I need to know why!"

Giratina could hear the pleading in this boy's voice. The poor human had never expected to be caught up in this business. This was almost out of his league.

Finally, Giratina sighed, 'Well I guess we owe it to you. No need to keep you in the dark. Get comfortable, and I'll tell you everything you wish to know; starting with how your body was found, and preserved.'

Ash nodded. "Good. But first, can you direct me to a mirror? I_** still **_have no idea what I look like!"

* * *

Once Ash had discovered his appearance, he motioned to Giratina to start the story.

'After Giovanni knocked you out, he told his goons to throw you off the ship. Proceeding to, they thought you for dead, body never to be found. Until a Wailmer found your body, and carried you to shore. A girl…I think a red-headed water-type user, I believe…found you,'

Another headache. His brain was trying to give him a message! Who was this person? She sounded like a person Ash vaguely knew…

Continuing… 'Upon your body coming to shore, your mother and friends met up with this girl and held a funeral for you. It was a sad day for all of us; but we knew the truth. When Giovanni threw you overboard, you were not dead; only unconscious. Bribing Dialga, the entity of Time, with a favor he owed me, he agreed to trap your body in a state of hibernation. If we had _trapped_ you in time, you would not grow. Doomed to stay 15 years old forever. However, instead of permanently freezing you in time, we were able to put a kind of freeze on your organ system. With this, it allowed us to put you in a hibernated state. Thus your body continued to grow and mature. It also allowed your thoughts to somewhat stay intact.'

Finally, he knew what happened. But a few questions still stood out. Now was the time.

"But why did you preserve me? And how long was I out? Why did you bring me out of hibernation? Where the heck are all my friends? Why aren't the legendaries doing anything?" Ash questioned.

Darkrai was the one to answer this. 'We preserved you because Giratina and I foresaw what was coming. We realized that you were the only one who could save us from this; so, we kept you hidden. Now, Giovanni can be stopped for good. As to how long you were asleep, two years.'

That hit Ash hard. How old was he? Giratina said that he was 15 when preserved. That means he was currently 17. Who knew so much could change it just two years?

'Now for the rest of your questions,' Darkrai said, 'Giratina decided that now was the time; if it was up to me, I would have held you for much longer. But the situation is desperate. The world needs you, Ash, whether you like it or not. Your friends are, as far as we know, in hiding. There is much that we don't know, even with our resources.'

Darkrai glanced at Giratina. Being an actual son of Arceus, he let the Renegade Pokémon explain the rest.

'Ash, your last question actually implies to what I was going to say before you had your flashback. You see, once your funeral finished, Arceus was furious by then. Arceus is the Alpha Pokémon. He is basically the God of Pokémon everywhere. But sometimes, even the Original One has to intervene. No human could ever be allowed to temper with Pokémon! Arceus had tolerated it before – many times _you_ tried his patience – but he predicted that it would come and go, just like the other incidents. However, these Dark Balls were becoming a threat. Teleporting to Giovanni's base in Vermillion, Arceus was about to let loose a massive Draco Meteor when he felt a small *thud* hit his head. Giovanni had thrown a Dark Ball.'

'That was a terrible day…Pokémon everywhere cried out in pain as they felt their father's essence being torn in two by the Dark Ball. As you probably know, even with your memory loss, a Pokémon has to fight for their freedom once a ball tries to ensnare them. But a few factors determine this. One of them is if you surprise the Pokémon or not. Arceus was indeed very surprised. Struggling to escape, Arceus could not hold on. You might be thinking, 'How can a regular Pokeball capture the God of all Pokémon?'. Unfortunately, Dark Balls are special Pokeballs designed to ensnare a Pokémon ruthlessly before twisting the mind of the poor creature. Arceus could not resist, and was captured.'

'Using the power of the Alpha Pokémon, Giovanni quickly destroyed all opposition, and set off to dominate the world. As of right now, all four (1) regions are under his command. Not even the Champions could defeat him. Arceus was just too strong. Now, even after two years, Giovanni holds his place as the Boss. Of course, small rebellions have arisen over time. But they were all wiped out. The rest of the legendaries have gone into hiding, fearing that they themselves will be captured by those dreadful Dark Balls.'

But Ash was still not satisfied. "Why have you legendaries gone into hiding? I'm sure that if you all worked together you could go into Giovanni's base and knock some heads around."

'Ash, fear is a funny thing,' replied Giratina, 'It makes a living being driven to no thought, only panic. We can't do anything about it. This is where you come in. Giovanni is expecting you to be dead; you have surprise and the Creation Trio on your side.'

"But you guys obviously are not afraid! Why can't you two do anything?"

'As much as Darkrai and I want to get involved, their Pokémon combined are too strong for us. Not only do Dark Balls twist your mind, they enhance your power. Even the Creation Trio together would have a hard time against so many overly-powered Pokémon.'

"Ok, here is another part I don't get," Ash said, "Why am I so important? Couldn't you just pick another person? And what's with this 'Creation Trio" thing?"

Darkrai replied, 'You are the only person with the heart and determination to carry out what needs to be done. Even if it comes to…drastic, measures.' Ash didn't like the sound of that. Darkrai continued, 'The Creation Trio is the name given to the three entities of Space, Time, and Antimatter. Dialga being Time, Palkia being Space, and Giratina being Antimatter. You're going up against an entire corporation, one that holds the power of Arceus in its claws. Alone, you don't stand a chance. In order to counteract this, Giratina and I have thought of a plan – extremely deadly and dangerous, mind you – so you can fight Giovanni.'

Upon those words, the Pitch-Black Pokémon drifted into the storage room. Coming back out, he appeared to be holding three different…rocks?

"Rocks? Why are we using rocks?" inquired Ash.

'These rocks contain a small amount of power, each one with a specific power. Although the original orbs are out of our reach, these should be sufficient,' as Darkrai laid the rocks in a triangle pattern. 'Now go stand in the middle!'

Ash did not like this idea; it seemed to…witch-craftery for him. He trusted Darkrai and Giratina, but what were they planning to do to him? "Uh, what exactly are you doing?"

'Ash, you are alone in this corrupted world with only us on your side. No one is aware that you're alive, and if anyone was, Giovanni would soon be alerted to it. You are going to need powers of the Creation Trio if you are to whip your world back into shape.' Answered an annoyed Darkrai; doesn't one get tired after asking millions of questions?

Just as Ash was about to ask yet another question, Giratina pushed Ash into the little triangle. 'ENOUGH! We are doing this for your own good, Ash; prepare yourself!'

The three stones suddenly shot straight up, stopping at about mid-chest height. A small circle surrounded Ash, flashing in colors of blue, red, and black. The flashing became faster and faster, until Ash's vision was completely black. He heard screaming. Maybe it was him? There was a lot of pain; _much_ pain. It seemed to not only rip his physical body up; it was tearing right through his mind and soul. There were images – tragic, nightmarish images that popped out at him. Until finally, there was a small flash; the pain stopped, and he opened his eyes. Looking down at himself, a small aura of black surrounded him. The sudden drop in pain almost made him faint.

Once he was able to get back on his feet, Ash was mad. "What the heck was that about!?" screamed an infuriated trainer, "Why did you force me into this?"

However, he wasn't getting a response from either the Pokémon. They just continued to stare with wide eyes. This just made him madder.

"Answer me!" Finally, Giratina shook his head. He had succeeded; something both he and Darkrai had not expected.

'Ok Ash, you deserve to know, with your surviving that ordeal. Through the power of infusion, you now have an aura similar to Darkrai.'

The raven-haired hero stared at his hands; what was this world coming to? He was a Darkrai in soul, and a human in flesh! What did this mean to him?

'No, you won't feel any bodily changes; except for the fact that you'll be able to take more hits and can hit harder. Oh, and then there's the matter with new abilities…'

Ash perked his head up. What was he talking about? Abilities and powers belonged solely to Pokémon.

'You see, those stones were necessary for you to bond with Darkrai. Being the Creation Trio, we have an influence on what is created or born; hence the name. With those stones, I was able to call upon a Darkrai's soul and powers. Don't worry; you didn't just unintentionally kill a Darkrai. I would explain more, but the principles of Creation are too complex for human minds.'

It took a minute to fully understand what he was saying. After he finally did, he had one final question (Finally): "You keep saying that you can't do anything. If the entire Creation Trio can't do a thing, how will a guy from Pallet change anything?"

'As you understand Ash,' Darkrai started, 'Legendaries are much different than any other being in the galaxy. We do not normally interact with humans; except for a few exceptions, such as Latios and Latias. When we do interact, however, many things can be changed for the good or the bad. We stated earlier that we could not help because we are too weak. This is only partially true. What if we went in, and were captured along with Arceus? Now Giovanni has mastered both the shadows, _and _the Reverse World! This is a risk too big to take. We need a human being.'

"Ok, that's all of my questions. Thank you, guys, for helping me out." Ash said.

'Now that that is all taken care of, we need to get to training!' exclaimed Darkrai.

"Wait…training?"

'You heard right! Before we set you off in the world, you need to train. I'm going to assume that you have no idea what powers you have control of. This is where I come in. For the next month, you're going to be in the most physical and mental pain you have ever had in your entire life combined!' Darkrai said this as if it was a good thing.

"Great." Ash muttered. Maybe this wasn't gonna be as easy as he thought. Well, he hadn't thought it wasn't going to be easy; but not this hard! "Then another thing hit him. "A whole month?! I thought you woke me up because you were in a haste?"

'Ah, but the Reverse World is different than yours. For every minute that goes by in the Human World, three go by in the Reverse world! So, to be specific, we're going to be spending a month's amount of training in just over two weeks!'

"So when do we begin? Might as well get it over with…"

'Right now.' In the blink of an eye, Darkrai came up to Ash and slugged him right in the stomach. It hurt a lot, but not as much as it normally would.

"Unfair! My turn!" Ash came back with a right-handed uppercut; only dor Darkrai to be on his left, giving him a mean smack to the face.

'Remember Ash, there is no use fighting the shadows,' Darkrai chided, then added darkly, 'Unless you become one yourself.'

* * *

**FINALLY! And this chapter isn't even that long! Don't worry; I'm working on this length thing. I've finally understand why authors take so long to update. There are so many other things distracting me, like my new Dragonborn DLC for Skyrim, and my birthday coming up. Oh boy, once THAT goes by, I'm going to be obsessed with new games!**

**Anyway, I was able to create this chapter over the weekend; I'm proud of that. I also got the entire plot up in the air, and off my chest. YES! I've also decided to publish the first three chapters of my _'Hoenn Frontier'_ before returning to this.**** I'm really excited for it; I just need to make sure I get all the locations right, and include things from the actual anime. **

**As you can probably tell, the game that influenced this FanFiction is Dishonored, a game that quite literally stole my heart with its amazing stealth techniques. The abilities that Ash gains will be somewhat similar to Dishonored…**

**Enough of that. Time to end off this chapter; my fingers are getting lazy. Once again, I'm realizing the big difference between **_**reading**_** a FanFiction, and **_**making**_** one myself. Please continue to read and enjoy this story, and I look forward to reading your (if any…) reviews.**

**Until the next chapter…**

**Hasta Luego!**


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